Battery buying adventure at Walmart

[freetoride]

My son's 325 battery died on New Years day and the only place open was Wally World. He was measuring the batteries in the store to find one that suited him, when the counter girl asked if she could help. He said "no" and she became more insistent and asked what vehicle it was for, he told her the model as he found the battery that he wanted. She then proceeded to argue and told him that he would somehow ruin the battery and that it would not start his car (it is 650 cca). It just seems crazy to me that she would freak out about the whole thing and I can't imagine what the boy could have done to make her act that way. She made a note on the receipt:

[Mike W.]

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. She was probably doing just what she was told to do and not really expected to ever think about actually doing. Then again, eight bucks an hour with no actual experience should make her qualified.

[wkohler]

I swear the smell in that place kills brain cells.

[Patrick McHugh]

I had a similar experience there years ago. They told be that using the wrong battery would damage the electronic computer because of the voltage.

That's pretty wild she was bold enough to write that on the receipt though.

[garageboy]

I would have waited until January 2nd before I would shop at Walmart... Just sayin'

[Dana R]

Is the car an e30? Is the battery in the trunk or under hood? If it's in the trunk, make sure the battery is properly vented via the tube, otherwise you're good to go!

[grahamular]

I think you have to realize that 99% of the people walking in there have no idea about which battery they need, so in that context it's hard to blame her for a little CYA...

[a]

FWIW. the Ranger battery is a drop in for an E 28 . It is a different group of course, but it is very common.

[Coldswede]

Ugh, WalMart, I absolutely, positively do not like those places.


Chris, the smell your referring to is the Chinese air pollution escaping from the merchandise packages

[wkohler]

I know. Same smell as Harbor Freight, but larger building.

[dna1943]

The last battery I replaced in my e30 I took the old battery back to Auto Zone and said I wanted to replace this battery. The kid asked what it was in and when i told him he said it was the wrong one and I needed to replace it with a more expensive one. My answer was that based on the battery date this one had lasted over 7 years and that was good enough for me. I got that dumb stare but got what I wanted.
BTW In my convertible the battery is under the hood.

[Coldswede]

I had a similar experience there years ago. They told be that using the wrong battery would damage the electronic computer because of the voltage.

I guess12v comes in different sizes or something?

[Mike W.]

I had a similar experience there years ago. They told be that using the wrong battery would damage the electronic computer because of the voltage.

I guess12v comes in different sizes or something?

Must be bigger electrons in a bigger battery.

[FastFiver]

My son's 325 battery died on New Years day and the only place open was Wally World. He was measuring the batteries in the store to find one that suited him, when the counter girl asked if she could help. He said "no" and she became more insistent and asked what vehicle it was for, he told her the model as he found the battery that he wanted. She then proceeded to argue and told him that he would somehow ruin the battery and that it would not start his car (it is 650 cca). It just seems crazy to me that she would freak out about the whole thing and I can't imagine what the boy could have done to make her act that way. She made a note on the receipt:

Instead of bitching here, call number on receipt, talk to the John McDowell manager guy, and get it resolved.

[garageboy]

Instead of bitching here, call number on receipt, talk to the John McDowell manager guy, and get it resolved.

Dude, it's more fun to bitch here. Besides, Walmart can eat my shorts. Don't you get it?

[freetoride]

I'm not really bitching, I thought it was kind of funny and thought that you guys would get a

I told my son not to worry about it because the poor girl already works at Walmart...... that's punishment enough, she might have had a bad day.

[winfred]

i love when some kid tries to give me shit in a parts store

[lilpoindexter]

I had to buy a Group 75 battery for my '78 Chevy C10 today...I went to Sam's club...I asked the guy if he had a group 75 battery, and he just grabbed one, and put it on the table, and took my 90 bucks, and said it has a 3 year no questions guarantee...I was literally in and out of the store in about 3 minutes.
I guess it might be a little different since he was male, and since he worked in the little tire change place in the back...or maybe he didn't give a fuck.

[booker]

i love when some kid tries to give me shit in a parts store

Oh I just love it when I ask for (example) 3/8" fuel hose.

"What is the make and model?"

"It doesn't matter. I'd just like me some 3/8" fuel hose"

"Uhh"

"It's right behind you."

[Duke]

You should see the fun I have. Rear brakes off of a 82 RX7, engine out of 91 Mustang, engine accessories off of a 64 Falcon or 66 Mustang, various parts from a 66 Tiger (yes, Autozone has it in the computer)................the guys at my home Autozone know the deal. Its the non frequented parts stores where it gets fun.

[garageboy]

I'd venture to guess that most of us here are pretty insufferable in a car parts store...

[bkbimmer]

If there is a hell, I would imagine it being in Walmart. Worst place on earth.

[Toolm609]

Thanks now I know that smell. Only time I go in there is to buy target loads for sporting clays 5.29/Box Federal 1oz 2-3/4 7-1/2 or 8 size but I found a better place to buy since I could not stand the smell. Thanks again now I know. NEVER to go back....

[Shawn D.]

i love when some kid tries to give me shit in a parts store

Oh I just love it when I ask for (example) 3/8" fuel hose.

"What is the make and model?"

"It doesn't matter. I'd just like me some 3/8" fuel hose"

"Uhh"

"It's right behind you."

I love it when I ask for a specific part & part number.

"No, I need to look it up."

"OK, it's a '57 Chevy with a 350, Vintage Air a/c, Classic Chevy Inc. power steering, Super Shops pulleys, and a late-model metric alternator on a bracket I welded up."

"Uhh... that's not in here."

"Right. Just give me XXX part."

[Mike W.]

i love when some kid tries to give me shit in a parts store

Oh I just love it when I ask for (example) 3/8" fuel hose.

"What is the make and model?"

"It doesn't matter. I'd just like me some 3/8" fuel hose"

"Uhh"

"It's right behind you."

I love it when I ask for a specific part & part number.

"No, I need to look it up."

"OK, it's a '57 Chevy with a 350, Vintage Air a/c, Classic Chevy Inc. power steering, Super Shops pulleys, and a late-model metric alternator on a bracket I welded up."

"Uhh... that's not in here."

"Right. Just give me XXX part."

Yep, I've done that sort of thing more than once too.

Nothing like a parts guy who thinks he knows it all but doesn't know anything.

[ahab]

i love when some kid tries to give me shit in a parts store

I think the dealer is worse than all of them. I was refused an oil filter once because I didn't have the VIN.

[SD45T-2]

Peopleofwalmart.com

[RangerGress]

I was a Marine Corps radioman as a youngster. During a month long exercise in the CA desert we were burning thru our radio batteries at an alarming rate. One of the guys had the idea of pulling a radio battery apart, a brick size thing containing crappy C-cells wired together, and running the wires to the 24V jeep battery. It was a clever idea, it just wasn't my clever idea. The Plt Cdr, a very smart guy for a LT, bought off on the idea and that's what we did.

A couple weeks later the Commo Plt Sgt, kind of a full-of-himself type, found out what we'd done out in the field and registered a formal complaint re. an "unauthorized" modification. He ran around for a couple weeks telling everyone that wiring the (24V) radio to the (24V) jeep "would have" blown up the radio because "A jeep battery has so much more power", which is of course absurd. But the brass didn't know any better because they were all history or poly sci majors. They made the mistake of relying on the guy that should have been the resident expert, the Commo Plt Sgt.

The Commo Plt Cdr lost his job over that one. It was very unfair. That was 1983 I think.

Most people have not the first clue how electricity works.

[My528e.awesome]

I went to Walmart about a year ago and bought about 100 dollars worth of flea treatment for the cats, paid and went home. The next day I opened one of the boxes to apply it, the box was empty. Opened the other boxes, all empty. Went back to Walmart with my receipt to do an exchange. The return counter sent me to the manager, where she proceeded to tell me that I stole the items. I flat out told her if she didn't do the exchange I was going to just take them, not the smartest thing to do but it worked. I have not been back to any Walmart sense.

[GKLCPA]

I really dislike going into Walmart. I have Super Walmart that's near me. It's always crowded, never has enough cashiers and you never find anyone to help. It's like they're so big that they don't care one whit about service. There's a Kmart near them and I go there instead as I can get in and out. To me, Walmart is a poster child for all of the free trade agreements that have taken good jobs out of this country (the same applies to most retailers now).

[shagrath]

WalMart can suck it.

Piss poor service, the stank of low life pukes who haven't showered in 8 years and neither have their kids. Thr products are terrible for the most part, and their customer service desk is aweful. Most people that shop there are stupid, inconsiderate asswipes, and the employees are rude burn outs that don't know shit about what they sell. I will never buy things like a TV or car stuff there.

Not to mention their "Great Value" brand stuff tastes like ass.

Sorry guys I am having a "I hate people/humanity" kinda day.

Keep calm and shut the fuck up.

[dna1943]

My problem is that I have an e30 '92 convertible. The e36s started in '92 and converts were leftovers. You just can't ask for '92 BMW parts and even if you very carefully say "CONVERTIBLE" even at the dealer. I always look up the part number first and take a copy of the real-oem page with the part highlighted. At the local parts place you always need to take the old part with you. Then the younger the kid the more argument you get (usually an older guy walks by and says "just sell it to him"). There are exception to every rule but I rarely see them.

[freetoride]

I always look up the part number first and take a copy of the real-oem page with the part highlighted.

This ^^^^^^^

One of the Autozone guys paid for my soda once, when I could find the part number on my phone faster than he could on their system.

[slammin_e28]

I got asked the application for a 12x1.5 helicoil kit.

srsly?


SRSLY??

[wkohler]

Key thing you folks are missing.

Lawyers.

[Cactus]

Key thing you folks are missing.

Lawyers.

I don't usually miss lawyers, they're pretty big targets.

I usually buy OE stuff from Steve Blunt. Only one mishap so far, but that's real OEM's fault for being vague and not having a photo of the part I wanted. Also my fault for not double checking the part number.